da dobrowin： With the holidays upon us, GOAL reveals its wishlist for 2024, featuring Kylian Mbappe, VAR and a competitive Premier League

da bet7k： It's Christmas, which is a time to eat, drink and be merry. It's also when miracles sometimes happen, though, so that got GOAL to thinking: if we could wish for anything this year, what dreams would we like to see come true in 2024?

Who do we hope wins a major trophy at the end of the current campaign? What changes would we make to the game? And who do we hope gets a move during the January transfer window?

Below, GOAL runs through out Christmas wishlist – be sure to let us know your thoughts in the comment box provided at the foot of the page…

GettyAn end to the VAR farce

VAR is a divisive topic, but at this stage, we can all probably agree on one thing: it's not made the game any better. On the contrary, it's actually made it worse from a spectator's perspective. Rulings take far too long and, worse still, remain maddeningly inconsistent.

The technology is not to blame here, of course. Used correctly, and in the right context, it can work wonderfully well. For example, despite some very, very rare malfunctions, goal-line technology has been a welcome and seamless addition to the sport.

But such calls are black and white (and are made instantaneously). It's when you get into grey areas that VAR becomes a farce. Nobody really has any idea what a 'clear and obvious error' because some decisions prompt interventions, while seemingly identical episodes do not. And why? Because the rule-makers have made a mess of things.

It's an absolute nightmare for the poor referees because there is no clarity, only confusion, resulting in different officials having different interpretations of the same laws. Handball decisions vary from week to week!

There is, of course, no chance of ever completely removing the element of human error from football. But VAR should have made the decision-making process easier for officials. Unfortunately, it's only complicated matters.

Making the technology faster and more efficient would definitely help, but it's time to get rid of VAR until the powers that be figure out how to use it in such a way that it will aid the running of a game, rather than completely ruining its flow.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesA proper Premier League title race

British broadcasters like to tell us on a regular basis that the Premier League is the best league in the world, because it is supposedly the most competitive league in the world. That's not remotely true, of course – Manchester City have won five of the past six titles and are presently bidding to become the first club to win four in a row – but it's an easier sell this season, with arguably five teams challenging for top spot, and all of the leading contenders have been dropping points against the so-called 'smaller sides' on a regular basis.

However, the fear is that fifth-placed City will once again run away with the league. After all, Pep Guardiola's men are not just renowned for coming good in the second half of the season; they have a habit of attaining perfection, making it impossible for even great teams to finish first (just ask Jurgen Klopp, who may have won one title with Liverpool – but lost two others by a solitary point).

So, while there is little evidence to suggest that the Premier League is losing its global appeal – just look at the size of the most recent overseas TV rights deal – it is in very real danger of becoming predictable. After all, it's hard to get on board with the idea that a championship is competitive if the same side wins every year.

So, while a new winner is probably too much to hope for, we'd settle for the refreshing sight of at least one unfamiliar face taking the title race right to the wire.

GettyMore Bellingham brilliance

Pressure, what pressure? Jude Bellingham had plenty to prove after Real Madrid handed over €103 million to sign the Englishman from Borussia Dortmund during the summer – and yet he's made playing in front of arguably the most demanding fans in football look ridiculously easy.

Indeed, Bellingham, who is now mobbed every time he steps out in Spanish capital, looks like he was born to play for Madrid, with the 20-year-old smashing goalscoring records at Santiago Bernabeu previously held by Cristiano Ronaldo – and he's not even a forward.

Bearing witness to the emergence of a bona fide superstar is always a thrilling experience, so even if one is horrified by the thought of Madrid winning yet another Champions League – or England triumphing at the Euros – all neutrals should be hoping that a damaged shoulder doesn't get in the way of more Bellingham brilliance in 2024.

(C)GettyImagesWorld-class Kane to end his trophy drought

Harry Kane could have won a trophy in his first game as a Bayern Munich player, but the Bavarians were sensationally upset by RB Leipzig in the season-opening DFL-Supercup. Online trolls were unsurprisingly quick to stick the boot into the England captain, arguing that while you can take the player out of Tottenham, you couldn't take Tottenham out of the player.

However, the idea that Kane is somehow 'Spursy' has been obliterated during a record-breaking start to his time in Germany. Nobody is doing more to ensure that Bayern put themselves in a position to win another Bundesliga title, with the striker having already scored 20 times in just 14 outings, while he has also netted four times in the Champions League.

If Kane manages to maintain his remarkable strike-rate for club and country, not even the trolls could claim that this world-class No.9 wouldn't deserve to end his agonising trophy drought in 2024.